Antirrhinum plant named ‘Amalia Dark Red’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Antirrhinum  plant named ‘Amalia Dark Red’, characterized by its upright and compact plant habit; freely branching habit; dense and bushy growth habit; dark green-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; and flowers that are dark red purple in color.

Botanical designation: Antirrhinum majus.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Amalia Dark Red’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Antirrhinum plant, commercially known as a pot-type Snapdragon, botanically known as Antirrhinum majus, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Amalia Dark Red.

The new Antirrhinum is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new freely flowering Antirrhinums with upright and compact plant habit, and attractive flower coloration.

The new Antirrhinum originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands, of a proprietary selection of Antirrhinum majus identified as code number 9913-1, not patented, as the female, or seed parent, with a proprietary selection of Antirrhinum majus identified as code number 9922-9, not patented, as the male, or pollen parent. The new Antirrhinum was discovered and selected as a single plant from the resulting progeny of the cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal vegetative cuttings since 2001, in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands has shown that the unique features of this new Antirrhinum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Amalia Dark Red have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity and daylength without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Amalia Dark Red’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Amalia Dark Red’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright and compact plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy growth habit.     -   3. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Flowers that are dark red purple in color.

Plants of the new Antirrhinum can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands, plants of the new Antirrhinum differed from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Antirrhinum were more freely branching than         plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Antirrhinum had smaller flowers than plants         of the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Antirrhinum and the female parent selection         differed in flower color.

Plants of the new Antirrhinum can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands, plants of the new Antirrhinum differed from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Antirrhinum were more compact than plants         of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Antirrhinum had darker green-colored leaves         than plants of the male parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Antirrhinum and the male parent selection         differed in flower shape.

Plants of the new Antirrhinum can be compared to plants of the cultivar Balumred, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,709. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands, plants of the new Antirrhinum differed from plants of the cultivar Balumred in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Antirrhinum were more compact and more         upright than plants of the cultivar Balumred.     -   2. Plants of the new Antirrhinum had shorter internodes than         plants of the cultivar Balumred.     -   3. Plants of the new Antirrhinum had smaller leaves than plants         of the cultivar Balumred.     -   4. Plants of the new Antirrhinum had smaller flowers than plants         of the cultivar Balumred.     -   5. Plants of the new Antirrhinum had darker colored flowers than         plants of the cultivar Balumred.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Antirrhinum. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of typical plants of ‘Amalia Dark Red’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants of the cultivar Amalia Dark Red have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The aforementioned photograph and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands, under commercial practice in a glass-covered greenhouse with day temperatures about 20° C., night temperatures about 12° C. and light levels about 10,000 lux. Plants used for the photographs and description were about three months from planting rooted cuttings in containers. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Antirrhinum majus cultivar Amalia Dark     Red. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary selection of Antirrhinum majus             identified as code number 9913-1, not patented.         -   Male parent.—Proprietary selection of Antirrhinum majus             identified as code number 9922-9, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—Summer: About 5 days at 22° C. soil             temperature. Winter: About 6 days at 22° C. soil             temperature.         -   Time to develop roots.—Summer: About 14 days at 22° C. soil             temperature. Winter: About 17 days at 14° C. to 22° C. soil             temperature.         -   Root description.—Fine; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Form.—Annual flowering plant; upright and compact plant             habit. Freely branching habit; dense and busy growth habit;             about five lateral branches per plant.         -   Plant height.—About 12 cm.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread), single plant.—About 20 cm.         -   Vigor.—Rapid growth rate; vigorous.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 10 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Internode length: About 5 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: 144B.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:             About 5 cm. Width: About 1.5 cm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex:             Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Venation pattern: Pinnate,             arcuate. Color: Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper             surface: 136A. Developing and fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: 137C. Venation, upper and lower surfaces: Similar             to lamina. Petiole length: About 1 cm. Petiole diameter:             About 2 mm. Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous. Petiole color, upper and lower surfaces:             137C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single bi-labiate flowers arranged in             terminal racemes. Freely flowering habit, usually about             eight flowers per raceme. Flowers face mostly outwardly.             Flowers not persistent. Flowers fragrant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Long flowering period throughout             the summer; flowering continuous during this period. Plants             start flowering about eight weeks after planting rooted             cuttings.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about two weeks on the plant.         -   Flower diameter.—About 3 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 2.5 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 8 mm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Shape: Globular. Color: 138A.         -   Corolla.—Shape/arrangement: Broadly tubular; five modified             petals; upper two and lower three petals fused. Petal lobe             apices: Rounded. Petal lobe margin: Entire. Petal lobe             length: About 1 cm. Petal lobe width: About 7 mm. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces of petal lobes: Smooth, glabrous;             velvety. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper             surface: 61A; small spot on lip bulge, close to 6A. When             opening and fully opened, lower surface: 64B.         -   Calyx.—Length: About 6 mm. Diameter: About 1 cm. Shape:             Star-shaped. Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal             texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong; flexible. Angle: Erect to about             45° from the stem. Color: 138B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity: Four per             flower. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther shape: Oval,             bi-lobed. Anther color: 23A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen             color: Close to 23A. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: One per             flower. Pistil length: About 1.5 cm. Style length: About             1.3 cm. Style color: 54B. Stigma color: 138B. Ovary color:             145B.         -   Seeds/fruits.—Seed and fruit development has not been             observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Antirrhinum have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Antirrhinum. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Antirrhinum have been     observed to tolerate temperatures from 0° C. to 32° C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Antirrhinum plant named ‘Amalia Dark Red’, as illustrated and described. 